Newark's undocumented immigrants on edge

The Family Success Center of the Ironbound Community Corporation provides a number of services to help its immigrant population, including free civics classes and preparation for the citizenship exam.

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Rosa is one of Newark's estimated 25,000 undocumented immigrants.

She and her husband have been in this country for 10 years, but she doesn't fear deportation to Ecuador.

Her greatest worry is what would happen to their 8-year-old son if President-elect Donald Trump goes through with his promise to deport some 3 million undocumented immigrants from the United States. Trump, during a "60 Minutes" interview on Nov. 13, seemed to back off that pledge, saying his focus would be on those with criminal records.

"My worry, and I think the worry of all immigrants, is what's going to happen now,'' said Rosa, 54, who asked that her last name not be used.

She has family in this country, but they won't be of much help because her three adult children are undocumented immigrants, too.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, however, has offered them hope under his administration. He said the city has a policy to protect undocumented immigrants and he doesn't see any reason to change it.

"Our efforts are to keep residents of Newark safe and protected from being broken up, from people being attacked, singled out and isolated, and driven back into the shadows,'' Baraka said.

"It really makes no sense that a nation that was founded from immigrants and ex-slaves would turn against immigrants now, which to me is more about race than anything.''

Newark has immigrants from many places — Eastern Europeans, Portuguese, Africans, Caribbeans and East Indians, to name a few. According to the 2010 Census, about 27 percent of Newark's population of 280,000 is foreign born.

Anthony Ambrose, Newark's public safety director, said undocumented immigrants have nothing to worry about unless they are involved in committing a crime. "Even if they are a witness (to a crime) and want to a report a crime, our officers are instructed that we are not to inquire about their immigration status,'' Ambrose said.

Organizations such as the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) applaud the mayor's stance, but many documented and undocumented families that the group works with remain on edge following Trump's unexpected victory.

"They are terrified and deeply concerned,'' said (ICC) executive director Joseph Della Fave. "We have children coming to school, asking if they are going to lose their parents.''

One 38-year-old woman, who asked that her name not be used, said she was depressed and afraid after Trump won the election. She's an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador.

She and her husband, who is also undocumented, have lived in Newark for 10 years and have two children – a 9-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter.

Both kids are taking it hard.

She said her son is sad. He became aware of the immigration issue while discussing the campaign in school. Her daughter, she said, is "very afraid" that the family will be split up.

The only thing she has been able to do is assure her children that the family will stay together, no matter what happens. She is not working, but said they have been saving up money from her husband's factory job should they be deported and have to return to Ecuador.

Naturally, Trump's win caught her off guard. But there's something else just as painful.

"The most hurtful thing is that documented Latinos voted for him,'' she said.

Trump received 19 percent of the Latino vote, according to the Pew Research Center.

Still, she said she loves this country and Newark, in particular, because of its diverse ethnicities.

About 75 to 100 members of Newark's immigrant community attended an ICC meeting about the election last week. They came to ask questions about what a Trump presidency means and several shared their thoughts.

Baffled and offended, angry and disappointed, frustrated and anxious, shocked and discriminated — all were among the emotions they were feeling.

Rosa, however, is keeping her head up and works every day, doing whatever she can to earn money. It could be selling ice cream, food and snacks, or knitted garments that she makes.

She's a feisty woman, too, encouraging others at the meeting to not give up hope and to be united and to fight for citizenship.

"We came here in order to find a better life for ourselves,'' she said. "We shouldn't be silent.''

Talk to your neighbors, speak up, she continued. "If you are with me, I'll be with you,'' she said.

One election night, Rosa said she was powerless because she couldn't vote.